Arrive Alive Women?s Super League Round 2 Review

Inter Lions met Gladesville Ravens at Peel Park. This was a battle between two first round winners. The Lions had played a first up blockbuster against Sydney Tigers, whilst the Ravens had snuck past the young Northern Tigers squad. 
The acid test was certainly on Inter Lions form; could they back up after last weekend?s tough encounter and prove that they were premiership material?  The short answer was YES.
The Ravens certainly competed for the first half hour of the game but once former NWS Koalas star Dani Calvi scored Inter?s first goal in the 30^th minute No-one was going to win this game except Inter Lions.
Elyce Goss added number two in the 35^th minute to give the visitors a 2-0 half time lead. Thereafter though Inter went on the rampage with Calvi completing a hat trick with goals in the 54^th and 84^th minutes along with strikes by Flemming (56m), Tomkins (72m) and Canulli (89m). This left the final score at 7-0 to Inter Lions. Dani Calvi is obviously enjoying her starting role at her new club.
This must be a rather frightening result for a few other Arrive Alive Women?s Super League contenders.
The Ravens are not a bad side but they appear to have been treated with contempt today. Lions Coach, Joe Baldacci, has a seriously good football team on his hands here.
This is not the last game that they will dominate this season. The ominous sight of Catherine Canulli?s name on the score sheet only adds to the firepower Inter have to offer in 2009. Their round 3 clash with a rejuvenated Blacktown Spartans should be an interesting game.
Gladesville Ravens 0
Inter Lions 7 (D.Calvi 3, E.Goss, R.Flemming, R.Tomkins, C.Canulli)
In the only other match played today Western NSW Panthers, thanks to a 3^rd minute strike by Olivia Bird, ran out winners in the Country Derby against Southern NSW FC. This was a tough struggle between two talented sides but, no matter how they tried, Southern could not peg The Panthers back.
Western NSW are starting to string together a sequence of wins in these clashes and Southern NSW will be working hard to find the right answers before the two teams clash again. Right now though a first win for 2009 is much sought after.
Their round 3 opponents will be St George FC who are yet to kick a ball in anger this season, given today?s washout and their first round postponement when Bankstown Lions were withdrawn from the competition.
Western NSW Panthers will make their first trip to Sydney when they play Northern Tigers at Parklands. I wouldn?t doubt the ability of either Southern NSW or The Panthers to be pressing for finals places later in the season.
Southern NSW FC            0
Western NSW Panthers 1 (O.Bird)
The Blacktown Spartans v Northern Tigers, Sydney Tigers v PCYC Lady Hawks and St George FC v Central Coast Lightning matches were all postponed due to fields being deemed unplayable after this week?s heavy rain. The new dates for these games will be announced by Football NSW as soon as possible.
Next weekend is Easter and, as such, our Arrive Alive Women?s Super League teams will be enjoying an Easter Egg hunt and all the fun that goes with it. I wish all players, officials and their families a Happy Easter. See you for round 4 on Sunday, 19^th April.
-By Ross Anderson